5 Gems
by Hazy-chan
Summary: Lizzy cares more, Darcy misunderstands everything, Bingley is more assertive, Caroline is still vapid. The Bennet sisters are closer than ever.


**Hello everyone. This is a new story that it has been playing in my head for sometime. Give it a chance. There ARE grammatical errors, especially since the document is so long. I hope though that you will enjoy this new story. Also I would really love a beta if anyone is interested. I have a hard time describing things and places and make the story flow better as there are more narrative passages than what I am used to do. I am still inexperienced but I would really love if you gave this a chance.**

 **Thank you and hope you enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pride and Prejudice and this is not written for anything other than I enjoy making it up.**

"Lizzy, when are you going to get here?" Elizabeth's twin sister Juliella asked.

"I am about to depart from the airport right now so I'll probably be half an hour to an hour late to the party." Lizzy answered sighing.

"I wish you were here." Maribella the middle daughter of the Bennet family said while curling the fourth daughter of the Bennet family, Katerina's hair.

"So do I, Mari, so do I."

"At least you won't be too late or miss the party altogether." Lindsey the youngest of the Bennet sisters and Katerina's twin said while putting on mascara.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry, I should've gotten there in time but there was a delay in Amsterdam. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"Do you have something to wear, Lizzy?" Katerina asked.

"Yes, I have a dress from the spring collection with me."

"Something new?" Lindsey asked eager.

"I think so, I am not sure if you guys have seen it yet but you'll see it on me soon enough. Though I think I made it more your style Juli. I think it will sag a little or be a little too long. Can any of you get a pair of high heels, probably as high as you can get them. Ugh, I hate this, not being prepared."

"Don't worry, Lizzy, we got you covered. We'll grab a dress from here for you and heels, for the dress you have and the one we are bringing, that way you'll have other options."

"That's a great idea, Mari." Lizzy exclaimed, the rest nodded in agreement.

"Giiirrrrrllllssss!"

"I think I hear our mother screeching." Lizzy said amused.

"You are not far off." Katerina answered.

"Girls, get down here, we have to go or we are going to be late and then what would the neighborhood think of us."

"That we are fashionably late." Lindsey grumbled to her sisters, turning away from the mirror to face them.

"I'm getting in the taxi right now, I'll see you all in a little while."

"See you, Liz." They chorused.

They shut off the phone.

"Giiirrrrlllsssss!" Their mother screamed again.

Juliella sighed. Mari having finished Katrina's hair patted her on the arm on her way to the bathroom to put the curling iron back.

"Oh my God, Mari, Kate's hair looks amazing." Lindsey gushed, admiring her twin's hair, Mari blushed. "You need to do that to my hair next time." She pleaded.

Mari nodded.

"Mari, it looks amazing. Thank you." Kate said hugging her.

"It really does." Juliella said grabbing her purse and before she open her mouth to say they have to go, their mother screaming interrupted.

"Girls get down here, already." She demanded in a tone not to be argued with.

"Here we go again." Lindsey and Katerina said in unision.

"I hate parties." Maribella said in disgust.

"Yeah, but you have it easier than us, Mari. " Lindsey pouted, Kate nodded.

"Yeah, it is" she agreed 'now' she thought privately 'because we are closer, but a couple of years ago this would've been the worst night of my life, I imagine.'

When

Juliella grabbed her hand in comfort, like she knew what Maribella was thinking. Maribella smiled. It wouldn't do anyone any good if she mopped about things in the past and right now her sisters were close and they enjoyed each other's company.

"This skirt is too short." Kate complained, while they descended the stairs - Juliella first then Lindsay, after her Katerina and last Maribella - trying to pull her skirt down lower. She was dressing a pink clubwear dress, the only good thing about it was that it wasn't strapless and her shoes were a pair of dress shoes pink with a short heel.

"You wear worse things for your job." Juliella grinned looking back at her. Juliella was wearing a hot pink sexy backless strapless front short long back chiffon elegant dress and her shoes were a pair of black dress shoes . With her golden locks that were swiped to the right, her sapphire blue eyes and her height of 5 feet 10 inches, she looked like a fairy princess.

"Yeah, but that's for work and you and Lizzy made them like that. This though," she said still making an effort to get her dress to stretch more "is because mom thinks we should act like sluts to bag us a rich guy. It would've been easier if I was wearing what Maribella was wearing." She finished her tirade looking at Maribella's outfit. Maribella was wearing a red plaid dress complete with a full, tulle skirt, a cool leather jacket and her shoes were a pair of sexy black lace high heels. Her hair the color of light brown was held up in a high bun with accentuate her beautiful hazel eyes and her kissable lips. It also gave her height, that at 5 feet 5 inches she always thought she lacked.

"I want Lizzy." Lindsay moaned. She was wearing the same outfit as her twin, only hers was turquoise blue. Their height was 5 feet 9 inches and they had long straight platinum hair and icy blue colored eyes. Lindsey hair was let down.

"What's with Lizzy?" their mother asked annoyed. It was a truth universally acknowledge that their mother for reasons nobody can comprehend hated her second daughter Elizabeth.

"She was stuck at the airport in Amsterdam coming home from her business trip, she'll be a little late." Juliella said serenely, though in her thoughts she berated her mother for acting like that towards her twin.

"Oh, well, she always put herself above everyone else. No concern for me and my poor nerves, that ungrateful girl." She said snidely. Their mother was wearing a maxi dress the color of navy with a ivory jacket. She had dark brown hair that she braided and it hung down her back.

They all internally sighed. They were not going to have this argument with their mother, she was set in hating Elizabeth.

"Thomas, hurry up. We'll be late." She shouted towards the part of the house their father's office was.

"Juliella you look beautiful, just smile a little bit more, we want Charles Bingley to snatch you up and never let you go." Juli lament when her mother turned away.

"Katerina that dress does not suit you very well and your hair." Kate touched her hair usually straight hair now with ringlets, subconsciously, Mari touch her back in comfort and Kate smiled a little in appreciation.

"Oh! Lydia you look so beautiful." Lydia wanted to scoff. Her and Kate were identical twins, it was really hard to even tell them apart, the only reason their family could was because they have been together for so long and they saw the small difference, except Elizabeth, she could figure out who was who just by their steps. She never got them wrong. She didn't understand her mother's attitude towards her twin when she was the one that mixed them up more than anyone in the family.

"Mari," she tsked at her middle child "stop slouching."

Maribella nodded and looked at the other three while they tried to suppress a smile. She smiled full blown as their mother's attention was diverted towards their father who was walking slowly. Their father had the same icy blue eyes as the twins, he was quite good looking as having working out with his daughters the past six years. They didn't know if he was walking slowly to infuriate their mother or to give them a little bit more time before they put on this masking charade, because that's what they showed when their mother was around, a charade.

They all piled in the van they owned and set off, the girls all wanting to be as far away as possible from this party but impossible to avoid it.

It wasn't always like that, a couple of years ago. They were not putting on a charade, what they now showed to the world and their mother was who they were. Lindsey and Katerina were two silly girls, who were all too consumed to grab a guy so they can make their mother happy. Maribella an introverted girl, who didn't talk to many and the odd one in the family, being without a twin. Juliella always seeing the good in people and Elizabeth more involved in running far away from home than to pay attention to her sisters, except her twin Juliella. It all changed when Lindsey was drugged and almost raped at the age of 12. Juliella and Elizabeth were in their first year of university and on their first week their parents and their sisters came to visit them. Juliella and Elizabeth had to attend a party and Lindsey boy crazy and Katerina just following after her, sneaked in the party. The younger twins always looked older than they were and they were able to pass as teenagers. Maribella found out and rushed to tell her older sisters. Frantically looking for them, Elizabeth found her youngest sister being undressed while she was unconscious, by a guy probably ten years older than her. She jumped at the guy, she took some self defense classes at her father's insistence and the guy was pretty drunk, she started punching him, until someone tore her off him, it was so bad eventually Elizabeth was taken to court and since the guy had more money and bought people he was let off with just community service, while Elizabeth was thrown in juvenile detention for three months. The girls all took Lindsey away and called their dad. They all went to the hospital to pump out the contents from Lindsey's stomach. From that day on, the sisters bond was stronger than ever. Juliella and Elizabeth took to protecting them and the girls all saw the benefit of not relying on a guy. Lindsey was the one who changed the most, she was unable to let people touch her. She averted being touch, it got easier in her small community and she had no problem with her sisters but otherwise she averted personal contact. They all started taking self defense classes. They started caring about each other and at the age of 21 when Elizabeth and Juliella graduated university and set up a designer company, they got all of them involved. The younger twins with their light blue eyes, long blond hair became the main models of the company. Maribella took to learning photography and she was the main photographer for the line. She also posed for some shots at the insistence of her sisters. Juliellla was the main designer. Elizabeth was the main handler of the business side of the company. They all had an input in the design, photos, marketing. Along side them there was Maria Lucas, she did make-up and hair and Charlotte Lucas who helped with the business side of the company as she herself was looking to set up a plastic surgery practice. The Lucas's were old friends of the Bennet sisters. It was exhilarating for the older twins to see the company so easily set up and flourishing. Their company was called 5 Gems as their father always called them his jewels. In the industry the girls were named after jewels: Juliella was Sapphire, Elizabeth was Emerald, Maribella was Ruby, Katerina was Aquamarine and Lindsey Diamond. Their father as he saw a change in the girls and as he became aware that he was not a good father, neglecting them though he did love them, started opening up to all his daughters. It seemed like he didn't just have a lot in common with Elizabeth but each and everyone of them. As Lindsey decided to go into law, she loved to talk to her father about philosophy and history and he enjoyed their talk. Katerina decided to become a doctor and she always went to her father's office just to sit there when she needed quiet, they didn't say much to each other but they loved that amount of time just being in each other's presence. Maribella loved music and she was a master of piano, studying at Juilliard, but she also loved to dissect books with her father who was a professor of Literature and Foreign Language at community college in their town. The two of them were actually in the process of writing a fiction book together. With Juliella he talked about her plans and what she liked to do and offered his advice as they were of the same temperament and it was a relief to him. He still favored Elizabeth above all of them for she had the same dry humor and quick wit and he liked her passion and her perseverance, but he also saw that all his girls offered something to the world and to him and he was glad that he fathered each and every one of them. He also kept their secret of being involved in 5 Gems as they didn't want anyone they knew know about them working, especially not their mother.

"We are here!" Fanny Bennet exclaimed, clapping her hands together and looking at the house in front of her with rapture that made all the others in the car want to run as far as possible.

They got out of the car and just stood there.

"Can we just...not do this?" Katerina whispered to her sisters.

"Like that's possible." Lindsey scoffed looking at her mother who had a calculating look in her eyes.

"Come on, Tom." she exclaimed louder than she should "come one girls." she grabbed Juliella's arm and started to drag her inside. Juli threw a look at them pleading.

They all shrugged in pity.

"Fanny." He said and she looked back at him. "Let me escort you inside." He said smiling at his wife.

"Oh ok." She said "Girls follow us." she said to all letting go of Juli and waiting for her husband.

"Thanks dad." Juli whispered as she walked back a little to reach her sisters.

"That's why I am here." He said smiling at her gently.

"Can't we wait for Lizzy?" Mari asked them as she saw their parents walking towards the entrance.

"Girls." Fanny demanded.

"I suppose not." Kate said, taking Mari's arm and followed their parents with Juliella and Lindsey following behind them.

"Here we go again." Lindsey said throwing Juliella a despondent glance.

Juliella smiled sympathising and took her hand in hers, walking forward.

"Come on Lin, it'll be alright, just act a little silly in front of mom, show her you grabbed a guy and then disappear and hide in Charlotte's bedroom."

Lin laughed "I was planning on doing that. You know me too well, dear sis."

Juli laughed as well "You are my sis, of course I know you."

They all got to the entrance of the house the party was hosted in. It was the mayor's house. The town they lived in was small and very quiet, not too far away from New York and about 20 minutes away from the airport. They had tourists that on their way to the Big Apple stopped and admired. The town kept its history and they were able to stop big business to invade so people were fascinated. It was this that attracted Charles Bingley, a big investor in tourism, to come check Merytown. He was here for a week and the town, more like the mother's of the town decided to throw him a party when they found out he was single and rich, it was a plus that he was also handsome.

"Oh, great to see you Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and all your girls. Come in, come in." the mayor ushered them in.

"Good afternoon Mr. Lucas." Mr. Bennet said, his wife looking around.

"Good afternoon, Thomas! How are you today?" The mayor asked smiling. He was a jolly man of 50 years old and he loved to entertain. He became the mayor and he has been for sometime. He kept being chosen as people didn't want to try to run the city and he was a fair man.

"We are fine, Sean." Fanny answered boisterously. " I was wondering though, are the guest here, yet?"

He laughed. "Not yet, Fanny."

"Oh! Where can I find Mrs. Lucas?" she asked in disappointment, but brighten right away as she realized nobody else got to the boy before he met her Juliella.

"She is in the kitchen getting more food set up." He answered and she took leave of them all. "And girls" his attention on the twins "Maria is in the ballroom with other friends from school."

"Thank you, Mr. Lucas." they chorused stepping away from the rest to go find their friends.

"Maribella, dear, Jason is in his bedroom, playing his guitar." He said smiling at the middle daughter.

She smiled shyly "Thank you, Mr. Lucas." she said and hurried up the stairs to her best friend's bedroom.

"Juliella, honey, Charlotte is near the punch bowl, waiting for you and Elizabeth." He looked behind them "where is Elizabeth?"

"She'll be late, her flight was delayed." Juliella answered, kissing the mayor on his left cheek "Thank you, I will go find Char." she said stepping away from her father and the mayor.

"It's a pity Elizabeth will be late." Mr. Lucas commented, his eyes following Juliella as she walk away.

Thomas grinned. "Well, Elizabeth was too busy with business this past few weeks. She tried to get here sooner but she wasn't able to due to some last minute meetings with some people."

Sean looked back at Mr. Bennet and smiled.

"Well, Thomas, let's get us something to drink and talk about what we'll need to do to stop our wives from kidnapping the poor gentlemen coming and forcing him to marry one of their daughters."

Thomas laughed. "Let's. You're saying there is more than one, then?"

"Oh, yes, a Mr. Darcy joined Mr. Bingley two days ago. He's a lawyer, he's actually the CEO of Darcy Pemberly, the firm."

"Really?" Mr. Bennet asked intrigued thinking he heard the name before "and what is he doing here?"

"Well, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy have been friends for a long time from what I heard so Mr. Darcy will help with all the legalities that are going to be arising in whatever Mr. Bingley is looking to do in our town."

Mr. Bennet nodded in understanding.

On the other side of the ballroom Charlotte saw her friend Juliella approached.

"Are you trying to kill the guys with that dress miss Bennet?" She asked laughing when Juli sported a blush.

"Charlotte." She admonished half-heartedly. "Katerina selected it for me. She said Lizzy gave it to her to give to me for a special occasion." she grinned at her friend "I really don't think though, that Lizzy meant this party. And by the way you look amazing."

Charlotte laughed, she was wearing wore a plunging white jumpsuit, her hair was cut in a bob cut, letting her dark eyes look extraordinary "I'm sure she didn't. And thank you for the compliment. It does make me feel sexy." she said looking at herself in satisfaction "So where is that dear best friend of mine. Did she find a way to sneak off by herself?"

Juliella laughed "Nope, you know she would never get to hear the end of my mother's tirade if she wasn't here. Everything that will go wrong will probably be Liz's fault in our mother's screwed up head, so Lizzy decided to join so that if things go wrong she could be here to enjoy them." She ended her telling subdue. She really hated her mother's attitude towards Lizzy.

"That's our dear girl." Charlotte said, giving Juliella a one arm hug.

Letting go she asked "Is she coming here directly?"

"Yeah. She'll text us. We brought a dress with us, just in case the one she has doesn't suit her. She said it's something new, but she made it more my style than hers." Juli said sighing, she knew how much Lizzy despised being unprepared.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine." Juli smiled nodding.

"So have you heard yet that Mr. Bingley brought his friend who is richer than him to our little town, Mr. Darcy is his name. The guy who owns Darcy Pemberly." Charlotte said smiling

"No. I wish I had something to do and been able to not to meet them in front of our mother."

Char nodded sympathetically.

"I actually feel sorry for them. I think they should've chosen another town." Juliella already pitted the two men.

"Well they made their bed now they must lie in it and deal with our mothers and the neighborhood broads. I wish I had something to do and avoid this too, but mother keeps on pushing me to find a man." Char sighed in annoyance "she just can't see the fact that right now I just want to focus on making money and running my business. All her talks are "Lottie, dear, you are three years shy from 30, you must find yourself a man. You don't want to remain an old spinster do you?" ugh, this is the twentieth century can they just give it a break?" She moaned.

Juliella laughed "You sound exactly like Lizzy."

"Well, that's why she' ma' best friend." She smiled and Juliella giggled.

"Hey Juli," Lindsey approached "Gah, Charlotte, you were here too? I thought you got lucky and fled this place."

"No such luck, Diamond."

Lindsey whipped her head back and forth.

"Char, don't call me that around here!" she exclaimed accusingly.

Char laughed "Calm down Lin, nobody would really know what we're talking about."

"I know that, but I don't want people to even look into it. Can you imagine the horror if our mother finding out?" they all shuddered.

"What was it that you wanted to tell me, Lindsey?" Juliella got the conversation back on track.

"Oh, right. So we are going to start dancing, you know make a fool of ourselves blah blah and then hole ourselves in Char's bedroom." she said and then turning to Char "you don't mind, do you Char?" she asked uneasily.

"Phsh, no way, you use it to your heart's content. I can't use it anyway."

"Thanks. I owe you one." She smiled in gratitude.

"Yeah, you do. You know anyone who needs plastic surgery?"

"Plenty, but they don't want one or don't have money." She answered in good humor.

"Bah, big help you are." Char grinned at her in amuzament.

Lindsey laughed and walked away.

"You're not getting clients?" Juliella turned back to Charlotte.

"Of course I do, but having more is better."

More and more people started to arrive and started mingling around, the teenagers put in a more upbeat song and started dancing. Charlotte and Juliella were pulled in different direction. After another half hour, the door opened and in entered three men and two women. By this time Charlotte and Juliella found themselves again.

"I thought you said there will only be two men?" Juli whispered to Char.

"Nah, two single men. The others weren't important. See the women on the tall black haired man's arm, who by the way is Darcy, and what a piece of man he is" Darcy was a tall fellow with black hair that slightly curled at the end and was wearing a black suit with a black tie and his eyes were the color of grey-green. Charlotte continued "her name is Caroline Bingley, a spoilt heiress that has gone under the knife a couple times." Caroline was wearing a clubwear dress that was a combination of pink and orange. It wasn't a truly horrible dress, but with her too pale skin and her straight orange dyed hair she looked atrocious.

"How do you know that?" Juliella wondered aloud.

Charlotte looked at her astonish "Juli, I am a plastic surgeon, I can detect those things, especially if the job wasn't done very well, which in her case it hasn't."

"Oh!" Juli blushed a little at her blunder for forgetting how good Char's at her profession.

"Anyways, the other woman is Louisa Hurst having on her arm Lewis Hurst. I don't really know what to tell you, he drinks a lot and she doesn't talk." Lewis was a pudgy short man, not much to look at and Louisa was in a too tight dress that did not flatter her at all.

"She's mute?"

"No, she's not, she just doesn't talk most of the time. I think in that group the one to talk is Caroline."

"Last but not least, Charles Bingley." Charlotte stated looking at a man with strawberry blond hair, brown eyes that took everything in stride and who smiled way too much for her liking. He did look striking in his dark blue suit and red necktie.

At the moment Juliella's eyes travel to the man so did his eyes fall on her and she sucked in a breath. They locked eyes and she couldn't help but stare helplessly as did him. She never believed in love at first sight, that ironically was more Elizabeth's way of thinking, but in this moment looking at this man it felt like time stopped and that she knew him, that this was the man she told Lizzy about when she talked about the perfect man. The spell was broken though as more people approached the group to grab his attention. She blushed furiously and turned away, seeing Charlotte smiling at her in a knowing way.

"So your mother was right this time." she giggle "this is THE one."

"Char, stop." she admonished her friend, again half-heartedly.

Charlotte just laughed at her discomfort.

"Juliella, Juliella come! you must be introduced." her mother burst in grabbing her hand "where's your father? oh, never mind, that man can't do anything to help his daughters."

"Mom." She groaned trying to pull back in a futile attempt.

"Where are your other sisters? Oh, never mind, I am sure they are having their fun somewhere." she said distracted, dragging Juli.

"Juli, come on, honey." she tugged harder.

They walked across the room to get to Bingley's party that was still talking to the mayor and his wife.

"Hello," Fanny broke in.

"Oh, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy, Miss Bingley" the mayor introduced the three as Mr and Mrs Hurst already went off to look for their own enjoyment "this is Mrs. Fanny Bennet and may I introduce the eldest daughter of the family Juliella Bennet."

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Bingley said stretching his hand for Mrs. Bennet.

"Pleasure is all mine young man." she said giggling as she shook his hand.

"This is my oldest daughter Juliella. I have four others. They are around here enjoying the party." She laughed. "Well except my second oldest, she's off doing God knows what."

"Fanny." Mr. Bennet interrupted his wife for going on her tirade about Elizabeth and her failures.

"Oh, Mr. Bennet" she brighten up and forgot about what she was going to say "come meet the new addition to our neighborhood, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley."

"Pleasure to meet you all." shaking the hands of the three and then turning to his wife "I'm sorry to steal you away from this lovely company, my dear, but Mrs. Lucas was looking for you."

"Oh, I should go see what she may want. But, first, Mr. Bingley" she turned towards the young man who kept a discreet eye on Juliella "would you dance with my daughter? I'm sure she would love that." She gave a smile to her daughter that implied she could see the man's attraction to her.

Juli blushed uncomfortably.

"It would be my pleasure." he answered eager to spend time with who he thought was the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his life. "If she doesn't mind?"

"Oh she doesn't mind. Do you, dear?" she threw a meaningful look at her that she was in any way getting out of the invitation.

"It would be a pleasure." Juli smiled at him and he thought himself lost.

They all dispersed as Charles took Juliella to the dance floor, Mrs. Bennet looking for her friend glad of her accomplishment to get Mr. Bingley to dance with her daughter, Mr. Bennet and Mr. Lucas to talk about whatever else they wanted to talk about. It left Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley alone watching everyone around them.

"I cannot believe Charlie did this to us again." Miss Bingley complain watching her brother in displeasure as he smiled and flirted with Miss Bennet.

Darcy next to her didn't say anything. It wasn't like Caroline didn't have a choice, she could've stayed at their rented home. It was him that Charlie demanded came. He didn't want to be here, he wanted to be back in New York with his sister Georgiana who had a trying time. A flash of pain overcame him and he needed to get away.

"Where are you going, Will?"

"To get us some drinks."

"Oh ok! Don't be long, I don't want to suffer in this crowd alone." she simpered, making him want to gag.

He nodded and walked away. Instead of going to get drinks once he made sure that Caroline stopped following him with her eyes he veered and went out on the veranda for some air. If it wasn't for his sister insisting she needed some time by herself and his cousin Richard telling him, he'll be around her, he would not have come here. He just wanted to go back and bury himself in work and his problems and forget the pain of not being able to protect his sister completely as his parents asked him to do.

His eyes were looking over the freshly cut lawn, when out of the corner he spotted something, looking that way he looked in the eyes of a magnificent women. They locked eyes and his heart literally skipped a beat. She was a vision like no other, she had chestnut curls that looked wild but still it suited her, she was wearing cowl neck sexy royal blue beaded spaghetti straps long formal evening dress and the most magnificent emerald eyes he has ever seen. She looked a little guilty at being caught, but before he could say something, anything for that matter, she flashed him a bright smile that made his heart run like the wind and disappeared around the corner of the house.

Upstairs as Juliella was being introduced to the guest, Maria Lucas, Charlotte younger sister and best friend of the younger Bennet twins burst through Charlotte's bedroom door to find the twins lounging, Katerina on a sofa and Lindsey on Charlotte's bed, each with a book in their hands. She had light brown eyes and light brown hair with a pixie cut and she was wearing a short mini tulle a-line sweetheart princess dark green dress with black pumps.

"Guys," she growl "there's a party downstairs and I demand that you make an appearance."

They lazily looked at her and then return to their books.

"If you didn't realize, we did make an appearance, we achieve the quota of today's entertainment." Lindsey uttered, her eyes barely glancing in Maria's direction.

"Ugh! You two are so boring. Come on there are two available men downstairs for us to gawk at."

"Two men?" Katerina question turning a page "I thought there will be only one."

"They are older than us." Lindsey commented looking up at Maria.

"One more showed up, Mr. Bingley's best friend. And so what if they are older, they are fine gentlemen and we are _required_ to gawk at them and undress them with our eyes." She wiggle her eyebrows suggestively.

The twins laughed.

"Required? Why are we _required_ to do that?" Lindsey laughed.

"Because, my dear Lin," Maria said jumping on the bed and looking her in the eyes "they look amazing, I think I passively heard my sister saying that Mr. Darcy has such a perfect face that he doesn't even need to go under the knife."

"What did you say?" Lindsey asked her demeanor changing from laughing and smiling to one of pure hatred. Kate looked at her worriedly. She didn't see her twin angry often.

"Well, that's what she said." Maria looked, a little frightened by her best friend's expression.

"Not that. His name. What is his name?" Lindsey looked ready to pounce on somebody and kill them

"Mr. Darcy." Maria answered timidly.

Lindsey jumped off the bed and ripping the door open, she stormed out. Katerina hurrying after her bewildered and worried, not understanding why that name caused her sister to act this way.

They walked into the ballroom and scanning around Lindsey saw a man with black hair walk to the veranda. She knew she hasn't seen that man before and she also knew that Charles Bingley had blond hair. She hurried after him, Katerina behind her trying to ask what was wrong. They passed Bingley and Juli on their way. Juliella grabbed Lindsey's hand first, but as she shrugged her off, she caught Kate's hand.

"Katerina what's going on?"

"I don't know Jules," she answered frighten "Lindsey heard the name Darcy and she stormed off, I think in search of him. I'm going to lose her, Juli, let go." she pleaded trying to yank her hand from Juli's grasp.

"I'll come with you."

"Miss Bennet what is going on?"

"My sister." she threw over shoulder before she hurried away.

He followed her.

In the back of the house Elizabeth just caught her breath. The man on the veranda gave her a scared when he looked at her but he was so handsome and locking eyes with him has been a most exhilarating experience. She wanted to surprise her sisters so she entered the ballroom in hopes of finding her twin when she saw her talking to Kate and looking towards Lindsey who was practically running to get outside. Her sisters did not look happy and she could see Juliella frowning and hurrying after Kate to get to Lindsey. She frowned as well, what could've possibly happen for Lin to act this way and frighten Katerina and worry Juli. She hurried towards the veranda as well.

On the veranda William Darcy was still in shock of seeing the most beautiful woman and losing her. He stared where she disappeared when behind him came a voice so full of anger that he couldn't possibly understand why, when he looked and saw that a girl, probably no more than 18, uttered those words towards him.

Lindsey burst through the veranda.

"You son of a bitch." she spoke angry beyond belief.

"I'm sorry Miss. Are you talking to me?" he said perplexed by the situation.

"Don't give me 'I'm sorry miss,'" she mocked, "what could've possibly induced you to come here?" she regarded him with utter disdain.

"I do not understand you Miss." his voice taking a tone of warning.

She smiled, though her eyes did not for a second lost her disdain and approached him.

"You don't understand, do you?" she said sarcastically.

He shook his head no, still perplexed by the situation.

She got close and punched him in the gut and as he doubled over he punched him in the face.

In the background Katerina, Juliella and Charles just reached them just as Lindsey threw her second punch.

Katerina gasped.

Juliella and Charlie exclaimed baffled

"Lindsey?!"

"Darcy?"

Juliella took action and grabbed Lindsey.

"Lindsey, what do you think you are doing?" she asked in dismay.

"Darcy, are you ok, man?" Charlie asked getting Darcy to stand back up.

Darcy groaned, he couldn't believe that stick of a girl had that much power in her punch, she really didn't hold back, he thought.

"Lindsey, what is going on?" Juliella asked again, when Lindsey didn't answer but kept on looking at Darcy with venom in her eyes.

That was what Will wanted to know. He was sure he never met this woman and then internally groan, probably a nut case that thought he loved her from reading some stupid gossip magazine or something. He threw a reproach look at Charles, though his friend wasn't looking at him 'I told you I didn't want to come,' he said mentally at his best friend wishing that Charlie can read his mind.

"It's him, Juliella." she spat "this is the guy that ruined my life, that ruined _her_ life." She looked at him with more anger than he received from anyone ever, in all his life.

"I don't understand, Lin. How do you know him?" Juliella tried to understand what her youngest sister was saying.

Lindsey looked at her and her twin confused and realizing her sisters forgot she looked at them astonish.

"You guys, really… don't remember?"

They shook their heads in the negative. All the fight left her and she sniffled.

"I want LIzzy?" she whispered.

The man on the side was perplexed, one minute this girl was ready to kill him and now she was crying.

"Lindsey?" the women Darcy saw, the nymph that he thought he will never see again cried stunned at the scene before her. She saw through the windows what was happening, unfortunately people kept on stopping her to welcome her home and couldn't get away fast without alerting them of what was happening outside.

"Lizzy?" Lindsey let go of Juliella and ran in her sister's arms.

"Elizabeth?" Juli said looking at her twin in the entrance.

Lindsey started sobbing in her arms.

"Lin, what is going on?" Lizzy startled utter hugging her sister

So her name was Elizabeth, it suited her, Darcy thought, on the verge of smiling because the women he saw wasn't something he conjured up. She looked at him puzzled and then turned back to her sister.

"Lindy, I won't be able to help you, if you don't tell me what is wrong. Please?" she pleaded grabbing Lindsey's cheeks gently and raising her head to look her in the eyes.

Lindsey got her tears under control enough to be able to speak, though she still sniffled.

"It's him?" she said looking back at Darcy in pain.

"Who's him?" Lizzy asked still unable to understand.

"Darcy." she whispered

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and then threw the coldest look towards him, even worse than the sister she was currently hugging, probably cause her eyes are more expressive, he thought.

"Juli, Kate, inside now." she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Miss Bennet," Charles cried "please, I am Charles Bingley. You have to explain to us what is going on."

Elizabeth looked at him and softly told him.

"It's a family matter Mr. Bingley."

"You have to at least tell me how I offended all of you, when I have not yet met any of you." Darcy said now getting angry with the girl who punched him and annoyed at the fact that even before he got the chance to meet the woman, she already hated him, probably based on her sister's obsession with gossip magazines.

"Shut up." Lindsey told him looking at him like he was piece of gum on the sole of her shoes that she wanted to scrub off "we don't owe you anything."

"Lin, calm down." Juli pleaded.

"Juliella, Katerina, please, let's go." Lizzy pleaded "I'll let you know why this is happening, though I am surprised that you guys don't remember." she said mystified looking at her sisters.

They looked guilty, if it was as important as for Lindy to throw a punch, it must have been important.

"I'm sorry." Kate sniffled, Juli nodded.

"Well, it's ok, no harm done I guess." Lizzy placate them and turned with Lindsey still clinging to her, towards the house to go inside.

"Excuse me," Will stated outrage at her leaving "but harm has been done." pointing at his jaw.

She threw an even more venomous look at him and he wanted to reel back from being hated by this woman, then she turned to Charlie, her face relaxed and with an exhausted tone said:

"Mr. Bingley, I'll send someone with an ice pack for him." she gestured with her head towards him, Bingley nodded "and please tell Mr. Darcy" she spat his name, making Lin smile through her distress and Darcy cringe "that if he wants and if _you_ want a peaceful life here to avoid all those with the name Bennet." The girls all turned and walked away.

"Katerina go tell someone to fetch an ice pack, probably Charlotte and then come to her bedroom, we need to talk." Katerina scampered off.

"Juli, find Mari, for me please. All of us need to have a serious conversation."

Juliella nodded.

Lizzy with her arm around Lindsey walked upstairs and into the bedroom sitting on the floor she looked at her youngest sister tenderly.

"Lin, are you all right?"

"I will be, just hearing that name brought all the things I thought I have forgotten back with a vengeance." She sigh exhausted.

"It'll be alright, I'm here." Lizzy told her hugging her.

"I can't believe you punched him." Lizzy said astounded letting go.

"I wasn't going to." Lin uttered sheepishly "but he was so confused and he looked so above it all it made me _so_ angry." falling back and resting her head on the edge of the bed, she looked up.

"Well, I think that was a mighty good thing you did." Her sister praised.

Lindsey looked at her sister in appreciation and laughed.

"I could see he was baffled how a twig like me could get him to double over."

They giggled that turned into a full blown laughing event as they thought about the man who was so much taller and muscular then Lindy, being brought almost to his knees.

Juliella walked in with Mari behind her fearing what they might find when they entered. Astonished at their sisters rolling around the floor laughing, Maribella asked taken aback

"What is going? Juliella made me think we will have an apocalypse on our hands." The two on the floor stopped and looked at them.

"Don't blame me," Juliella complained "it is all Lindsey's fault." she walked in and sat down on Lizzy's left side giving an overdue hug to her twin. Maribella went to the right side of Lizzy and hugged her after Juliella hugged her.

"Welcome back, Liz!" she said happily.

"I'm glad to be back." she uttered pleased to be around her sisters.

Katerina entered and sat down between Lindsey and Maribella giving a hug to her twin and then reached towards Lizzy and gave her a hug too. With welcome back's out of the way Katerina got to the matter at hand.

"You have to tell me what was the matter with you, Lin. Why did the name Darcy..." she heard Maribella gasp, "you know too?" she turned towards Mari surprised.

"And you don't?" she in turned asked astonished.

"Neither her or Juli can figure it out." Lindy said worn out.

"That's not possible. I know it's been about six years, but you couldn't possibly have forgotten that name." Maribella exclaimed looking from Kate to Juli. They in turn looked down in shame.

"It was the name of the lawyer firm." Lizzy whispered.

The two gasped in horror at the fact they have forgotten.

"I cannot believe I didn't remember." Juliella turned and hugged Lindsey as did Katerina.

"I'm so sorry, Lindy. It didn't even cross my mind." Kate apologised over and over again, with Juliella nodding and holding her tighter.

"It's all right, the both of you." She said hugging them and then pushing them away.

"I was more upset for Lizzy's sake." she said tired-out by the whole event.

"What happened?" Maribella asked knowing there was a piece of information she wasn't aware of.

"He's here." Katerina said still berating herself for forgetting that name.

"Who is?"

"Darcy." Juliella uttered defeated. She couldn't believe she forgot that name. That name ruined her twin and her youngest sister's life.

"You have to be kidding me?" Maribella exploded.

They all shook their heads in the negative.

"There you all are." their mother burst in the room put out by her daughters forgoing the party, spotting Elizabeth her eyes narrowed. "I should've know."

"Mom, please, not now." Juliella pleaded.

"Not now? Your sister is trying to keep you from Mr. Bingley, probably to have him all to herself." she said spitefully looking her second daughter in the eyes.

Elizabeth worned out by her trip and the new knowledge and by the fact that she felt something other than spite towards the man she's supposed to hate with her whole being, sigh.

"We'll go down, right now." Lindsey said faking cheer, getting up as did all her sisters and one by one walked out.

"You have better watch yourself, Elizabeth." Her mother warned "just because you think you are above it all, does not mean you should ruin the chances for your sisters." Elizabeth rolled her eyes as Juliella reached their mother and grabbed her arm and gently guided their mother out, before she trapped Elizabeth in the room to speak all kinds of evil to her.

"Mom, did you see me dancing with Mr. Bingley?" She asked joyfully getting her mother's attention.

"I did, honey, he only has eyes for you. It was him that asked about you when you disappeared." She said walking downstairs, praising her eldest daughter for catching such a rich fine man.

Behind, Elizabeth walked slowly downstairs. Her younger sisters ran out first, probably to go and get some ice cream from the kitchen and get themselves holed back in Charlotte's room again watching a sappy movie. That sounded so good to her. Instead she had to mingle and be sure to not let anyone realize they were gone. Lindsey needed some support and who better to give it than her twin and Maribella.

"Lizzy," she heard her father. Then he looked at her.

"Is something the matter?" he asked concerned pulling her aside.

She shook her head in the negative.

"No, just mother, spouting things again." She didn't want her father to know the real reason as of yet. She'll need to have a conversation with her and her sisters present to devise a plan knowing that that man was here and we'll be for as long as Bingley will stay in town.

He hugged her and she took comfort in that. Her father has always been her rock.

"Have you seen Charlotte?" she asked letting go.

"Yes, she was talking to the young men. I think she went to the kitchen."

"I'll go see her." she said kissing his cheek and walking away.

"Lizzy!" she turned back to him.

"Yes, daddy?"

"Welcome back, sweetheart." He said grinning at her.

"Glad to be back, pa." she grinned at him lovingly.

On the veranda after the girls have left, Charlie, turned towards his best friend and begrudgingly asked:

"Will, what in the world happened?"

"Look, Charlie, I have not the slightest clue what happened. One of the tweedle dums came and started spouting things and throwing punches."

"First of all, be aware, things like calling people names will get you in trouble. Second of all, knowing you, you probably offend one of her friends."

"Charlie, I have not been around her friends and I haven't stayed in the room long enough to meet anyone else besides the people we were both introduced too."

"Then I don't understand what happened." Charlie said confused.

"And I would know?" Will asked rhetorically.

"Excuse me!" Charlotte Lucas interrupted.

"Miss Lucas." Mr. Bingley acknowledge.

"I was told by Katerina," seeing their confused expression she reiterated "one of the Bennet girls," they nodded "to bring you a pack of ice." She extended a pack of ice towards Mr. Darcy seeing as he was in need of it.

"Thank you Miss Lucas." Bingley said gratefully.

"Is something the matter?" she asked tilting her head in confusion.

"You would have to speak to the Miss Bennet's." He said not going into detail.

She nodded and left.

"I'm going back inside. Join me as soon as possible." Charlie demanded.

"Charles, I want to go home." Will whined.

"Look here Darcy, you are not going to run away, also you need to speak with one of the Miss Bennets about whatever you did wrong. I want to form a relationship with them and your pissed poor attitude is not welcome in that equation."

"Fine, fine." Darcy grumbled.

Charlie went back inside and found Mrs. Bennet and asked about her daughters and she went off to find them.

No more than ten minutes later, the angel, he didn't want to part with walked back into the room smiling indulgently at her mother.

He went to her right away as if floating on a cloud.

"Miss Bennet, glad you could join us again."

Her mother looking pleased, walked off to give them a chance to talk.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bingley, about the scene we all made." she said politely.

"It is not a problem, Miss Bennet. I do hope whatever has caused your younger sister to act that way towards my friend has been cleared." He said trying to get himself back into his angels' good graces when he realized what she said was out of politeness and not what she felt at all.

"I cannot say for sure, Mr. Bingley…"

"Charlie." he interrupted

"Excuse me?" she asked confused

"Please, call me Charlie," she blushed

"Charlie," he smiled amazed at what his insides were doing to him just by hearing his name from her lips "my sisters and I have… I am not sure what to say… how to explain...ummm…" she struggle to find a word "animosity? … maybe…" she trailed off "yes, animosity towards your friend. We will try to find a way to coexist while he is here, but we are not all that glad to be in his company." She said looking at Charlie sorry she couldn't give him a better answer.

"Can you please tell me what can be done to rectify that? I will do all in my power to help." he said earnestly. He needed to find a way to keep Miss Bennet in his life.

She laughed. He grinned confused.

"No, Mr, I mean Charlie, you cannot do anything. But, I can tell you our animosity doesn't extend towards you. You are a most amiable man." she smiled shyly at him.

He beamed at her answer and she blushed.

"Do you care for another dance, with me Miss Bennet?"

"Please, call me Juliella or Juli." she told him

"What a pretty name. I have never heard one like it."

"Thank you and yes I would not mind dancing again."

As Charlie was talking to Juliella, Elizabeth found Charlotte right outside the kitchen.

"Lizzy!" she cried hugging her friend "Welcome back!"

"Char," Lizzy beamed hugging her back "Glad to be back."

"So was the trip successful?" She asked moving them towards the punch bowl.

"I believe so, they will call next week and let me know and we can finalize everything."

"This will mean a lot, wouldn't it?"

"This will be the deal breaker for us."

"Are you nervous?"

"Beyond nervous, I have enter the I-am-jumping-off-a-cliff-terrifying-outcome-be-damned nervous."

Charlotte laughed.

"And you? How's it going?"

"Extremely well. I didn't think I would have the success I have now as fast as I have it."

"I am so happy for you Char." Lizzy told her hugging her again in excitement.

"And now, I really do have to ask. What happened outside?"

Lizzy got quiet.

"Hey, are you alright?" Char asked worried, touching her arm.

"Yes, I am." shaking her head Lizzy looked at her and smiled gravely "I will have to tell you later though, now is not a good time."

Charlotte nodded in understanding.

They looked towards the room. Lizzy saw Charlie walk towards their direction and before reaching them slightly veered right. He was going to talk to his friend, she observed. She wanted to scream all kinds of obscene things and let all the pent up frustration with the whole situation and her attraction to the man she saw, out. The conversation that was taking place between the two men could easily be heard by Elizabeth and Charlotte.

"Darcy, you have to dance or mingle, or something." Charlie exclaimed happily.

"Charlie, I don't know anyone in this room and you know I don't do small talk."

"You have to try. At least meet a girl and ask her to dance."

Darcy scoffed.

"The only decent human being in this place is the one you were dancing with."

Charlie beamed.

"Juli is an angel isn't she. She is amazing and so beautiful." Char and Lizzy smiled

"I think I am going to like this guy." Lizzy whispered to Charlotte. She smiled at her in return.

"But what about one of her sisters?"

Darcy looked at Charlie like he was sprouting new heads.

"Have you not witness the scene outside? what could possibly make you believe that I want to meet them?"

"Yes, well, you can find out why they hate you while you also achieve mingling."

"Charles, there is not even one of them that I will punish myself to interact with."

"What about the one named Lizzy?" Charlie asked looking at his friend knowing that Darcy felt something for her. Charlie wasn't sure if it was intrigue or attraction. She was beautiful in her own right, he thought, and totally Will's style.

"Charles, are you insane? She is the last person I want to associate myself with. Before she even met me she took her sister's say in whatever that girl thinks I am, which I think she got from a gossip magazine."

Lizzy gasped outrage and before she marched to him to punch him again, Charlotte grabbed her and forcefully pushed her into the kitchen.

"Elizabeth Abigail Bennet calm down." Charlotte order her, looking in her eyes.

"Char, did you not hear what he said?" Lizzy struggle to get out of Char's grasped.

"I did, but you cannot go out there and start throwing punches."

"And why not?" Lizzy spit out.

"Because you will get an earful from your mother" Elizabeth rolled her eyes in exasperation "because you could get sued" at this Lizzy clenched her jaw "and because you will probably upset Juli as she seems to like Bingley a lot," at hearing this Lizzy stopped struggling and looked at Charlotte.

"You think she does?" she whispered. She would've hated to come between her twin and her happiness.

"Yes, the moment they locked eyes, I think they were both lost." Charlotte told her letting go when she knew for sure Elizabeth wasn't going back inside to do something stupid.

Elizabeth laughed.

"Like love at first sight?"

Charlotte smiled "Exactly like that."

"Do you think Juli will admit to that?" Lizzy wondered as she went around the kitchen island towards the fridge to grab herself a water bottle.

"Well..., probably not." Charlotte confessed.

Lizzy giggle "I'm going to give her such a hard time about this. She doesn't believe in love at first sight."

"Who doesn't believe in what?" Maribella asked coming into the kitchen through the back stairs.

"Juliella in love at first sight." Charlotte spoke before she bit in one of the desserts left in the kitchen.

"How are Lindsey and Kate doing?" Lizzy asked leaning on the island counter.

"They are fine. They are eating junk food and watching Supernatural."

"Oh, man! Why can't I be younger?" Lizzy looked towards Charlotte pouting, her friend shrugged picking up a banana and eating "I want to do what they are doing." Lizzy whined looking towards the stairs and then towards the doors leading back to the room where all the guest were.

"Elizabeth Abigail you are not leaving me alone to fend for myself." Charlotte narrowed her eyes at her.

"Can you leave my middle name out of this?"

"If you promise that you won't leave _me._ "

"Fine."

"Elizabeth Abigail _promise_." Charlotte demanded.

"I promise." She answered displeased.

Maribella giggle at her sister and their friend's childish fight.

"And you, where are you off to?" Lizzy challenged.

Maribella blushed bright red.

"John's room. We are working on some music together." She replied, grabbing some food and running upstairs.

The two left behind laughed at her discomfort.

"Come on, we have to get back in there." Charlotte grabbed her hand and dragged her back into the room.

"But I don't want to." she mumbled.

"Like I do," Charlotte scoffed looking back at her "right now, I want to be in my apartment soaking in my jacuzzi." Char looked far off in bliss.

"Ugh, stop giving me reasons to flee." Lizzy grumbled.

Charlotte laughed and Lizzy smiled as they entered back into the room to mingle.


End file.
